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Savvy Senior: Should You Take Daily Aspirin for Your Heart?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I’ve been taking daily aspirin for almost 20 years now because I have a family history of heart disease. But I recently read that using aspirin is not recommended anymore. What can you tell me about this change in philosophy?
Confused Aspirin User
Dear Confused,
There’s no doubt that taking low-dose daily aspirin is beneficial to most people who’ve had a heart attack or stroke. But if you don’t have heart disease, should you take it as a preventative measure? The answer for most people is probably not, according to new guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a widely respected independent panel that develops recommendations on preventive health care. Here’s what you should know.
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‘Open Secrets: A Maggie Dahl Mystery’ Author Copies Arrive!
I must say I really like the way this cover turned out. It’s one of my best.
Now available: eBook and paperback editions of Open Secrets: A Maggie Dahl Mystery
Download a free 6-chapter sample HERE!
Maggie Dahl returns in ‘Open Secrets.’ It’s been six months since the media circus surrounding the last murder Maggie solved, and a year since her beloved husband David died. The dust seems to have finally settled. Then one morning a customer walks in and asks Maggie to do her a favor.
Soon a body is discovered on a rural New Jersey road. A body Maggie is sure belongs to a local author whose next book was rumored to reveal secrets not everyone wanted known. But were they enough to kill for? And who murdered the woman found in the woods? Maggie is determined to find out, even as her life continues its road back to normal, complete with the possibility of new love. Can she find the answers she seeks in the death of a local celebrity? And will love be part of her life once again when she least expects it?
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Cat Talk Radio with Molly DeVoss and Co-Host Dewey: 6 Reasons to Adopt a Shelter Cat
I met certified cat behaviorist Molly DeVoss when we adopted our cats Wilma and Peanut, both shelter cats and both adults when we brought them home. A friend suggested I reach out to Molly in Dallas to deal with some behavioral issues. I did, and her advice was spot on. Our “girls” are as much a part of our family as we are, and I can’t thank Molly enough for her advice. CLICK TO LISTEN TO THE EPISODE.
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Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources: How to Increase Energy Levels in Men as they Age
By Angelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH
The following excerpt is reprinted with permission from Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources.
It’s no secret that energy often decreases as people age. Getting up in the morning gets more difficult and you get tired faster at the end of the day. While some energy loss is due to age, there are also ways to increase energy levels in men as they age.
In fact, seniors can stay much more fit and active than many people assume. Age doesn’t need to stop you from being mobile and enjoying life. The following areas are all ways to increase energy levels and get back to your life.
Check Vitamin D Levels
Vitamin D is synthesized in the presence of sunlight. Simply getting sun regularly is often enough. But, your ability to make vitamin D decreases with age. You may not be able to get your levels high enough from sunlight alone.
This makes vitamin D one of the few supplements that most seniors would benefit from. In fact, vitamin D supplements are often prescribed.
There are many symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, one of which is lower energy levels.
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Gay Travelers Magazine: Steven and Tom Visit The Wizard of Oz Museum
Reprinted with permission from Gay Travelers Magazine
By Steve Skelley and Thomas Routzong
The Wizard of Oz Museum in Cape Canaveral, Florida near Cocoa Beach is filled with an amazing collection of memorabilia and a 20000 square foot room where you can enjoy an immersive Van Gogh experience and the immersive Wizard of Oz experience.
In 1900, L. Frank Baum published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It was an instant hit with over three million book sales, a Broadway musical and an iconic 1939 movie. The Wizard of Oz Museum in Cape Canaveral, Florida has an impressive display of autographs, clothing, dolls, comics, toys, maps, original props and costumes, collectible figurines, posters and first editions including the earliest recorded copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!
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Savvy Senior: How to Find and Claim Your Family’s Forgotten Assets
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
A while back I read an article about some online tools that can help people search for lost or forgotten money left behind by their deceased relatives, but I’ve misplaced it. Can you help me with this? My mom, who passed away in January, was always bad about keeping up with her money, so I’m wondering if there was anything she left behind.
Searching Son
Dear Searching,
Forgotten or lost money is actually very common in the United States. According to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, there are literally billions of dollars in unclaimed funds sitting in state treasuries and other agencies just waiting to be found.
These unclaimed funds are from accounts that are inactive or whose owners, or their heirs, cannot be located. Unclaimed funds can include things like lost or forgotten saving or checking accounts, stocks, utility security deposits, tax refunds, life insurance policy proceeds, un-cashed dividend checks, matured savings bonds and much more.
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The Twist Podcast #196: Covid Diaries, Gays with Guns, Savoring Soap Operas, and More!
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we check in post-Covid, shout out to the armed and fabulous, savor the best of soaps, and scan the week in headlines.
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The Twist Podcast #196: Covid Diaries, Gays with Guns, Savoring Soap Operas, and More!
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we check in post-Covid, shout out to the armed and fabulous, savor the best of soaps, and scan the week in headlines.
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Book Reviews: LGBTQ Memoirs by Various Authors
By Terri Schlicheneyer
The Bookworm SezLGBTQ Memoirs by various authors
c.2022, various publishers $14.99 – $27.99
Various page countsAnother Pride Month is in the can.
All that planning, preparation and execution of events is done, and now you find yourself with lots of time on your hands. So why not reach for one of these great memoirs to read….?
A little bit of memoir, a little bit of sympathy, advice, and several biographies are at the heart of “Here and Queer: A Queer Girl’s Guide to Life” by Rowan Ellis, illustrated by Jacky Sheridan (Quarto, $14.99). This book leans mostly on the serious-but-lighter side, with plenty of colorful artwork and suggestions for teen girls on figuring out who they are and what it means. There are fun activities, quizzes, essays, and tips inside; readers will find plenty of one-liners to take away, a comprehensive timeline of LGBTQ history, and biographies that reflect women of many ages and races. That all makes this a book that even adult women and, perhaps, some questioning boys will appreciate.
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Savvy Senior: How to Hire an In-Home Helper for an Aging Parent
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I would like to hire an in-home helper for my 82-year-old mother to assist with household chores like housekeeping, grocery shopping and driving her to the doctor, etc. But mom doesn’t require any personal/physical caregiving, nor does she require any home medical care. Any tips to help us find someone?
Searching Sarah
Dear Sarah,
Getting your mother some help at home to handle some of her day-to-day chores is a smart idea that can make a big difference keeping her independent longer. Here’s are some tips to help you find someone reliable.
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Paperback Cover for ‘Open Secrets: A Maggie Dahl Mystery’
It’s not available quite yet, but everything’s been formatted and submitted. Any day now you’ll be able to get the paperback edition of ‘Open Secrets: A Maggie Dahl Mystery.’ Can’t wait that long? Pick up the eBook edition now!
Maggie Dahl returns in ‘Open Secrets.’ It’s been six months since the media circus surrounding the last murder Maggie solved, and a year since her beloved husband David died. The dust seems to have finally settled. Then one morning a customer walks in and asks Maggie to do her a favor.
Soon a body is discovered on a rural New Jersey road. A body Maggie is sure belongs to a local author whose next book was rumored to reveal secrets not everyone wanted known. But were they enough to kill for? And who murdered the woman found in the woods? Maggie is determined to find out, even as her life continues its road back to normal, complete with the possibility of new love. Can she find the answers she seeks in the death of a local celebrity? And will love be part of her life once again when she least expects it?
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The Weekly Readlines July 8
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) offers news you can use every week. You can view the archives here.
Quote for the Week: “The mother’s battle for her child with sickness, with poverty, with war, with all the forces of exploitation and callousness that cheapen human life needs to become a common human battle, waged in love and in the passion for survival.” – Adrienne Rich 
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES First the good news: the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe has resulted in a surge in vasectomies. That’s about it for the week.
A 10-year-old rape victim was denied an abortion in Ohio and had to travel to Indiana to escape the forced birth of her rapist. Basketball superstar and Russian hostage Brittney Griner plead guilty to possessing hashish vape cartridges. And Rep. Liz Cheney said the greater danger to the U.S. is in not prosecuting Trump.
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Cat Talk Radio with Molly DeVoss and Co-Host Dewey: Adopting Hoarding Cats
This episode of Cat Talk Radio hits close to home: I met certified cat behaviorist Molly DeVoss when we adopted our cat Wilma, who came from a hoarder home. Three years old at the time, Wilma had some behavioral issues, and a friend suggested I reach out to Molly in Dallas. I did, and her advice was spot on. Wilma was soon a vital part of our home, and I couldn’t thank Molly enough for helping us ease out little cat into a new, loving, non-hoarder world. CLICK TO LISTEN TO THE EPISODE.